****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
The only question I have is why I waited so long to order this. If you already own a KA stand mixer and have any interest in making great burgers, koobideh, shashlik, sausage, etc, do yourself a favor and buy it. Short of the time, bloody mess, and hard work of hand chopping meat, there is no other way to get the quality, texture, control, and freshness. For what you get, and what a difference it makes, this is an incredibly inexpensive investment. Easy to assemble, clean, and use. The main thing is to be sure that it is cold when you use it and that you don't let it heat up, as heat will transform grinding into smearing and ruin the effect you are after. I keep mine in the freezer, but you will get the same effect if you just freeze it for a couple of hours before use. And make sure the meat is also very cold, cut into small cubes or strips (not more than 1-2 inches), and trimmed of hard gristle or sinew. Obviously no bone. Allow the ground mat to fall loosely into a plate or piece of wax paper or parchment, and the LOOSELY AND GENTLY push into piles for burgers that barely hang together. Do not start packing it into hard clumps, if you want to take advantage of the fine meaty texture that a fresh grind produces. For great burgers, you can experiment with mixed of various cuts if meat (short rib, chuck, oxtail, sirloin, etc), but if you want it keep it simple just buy an inexpensive chuck steak or roast and break it down into small chunks, put it back in the fridge for 39 minutes (or freezer for 10), take your grinder out of the freezer and set it up (which takes 30 seconds), and grind away.I'm not much of kitchen gadget person and do as much as I can with a good kitchen knife, but this was one worthwhile and frankly overdue purchase. If you're a results oriented DIYer in the kitchen, just buy it; you'll thank yourself.
